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Apple dips its toe into employee health with independent care centers

Apple will launch a group of internal health centers alongside a push to improve the health and wellness of its employees. The major consumer tech company quietly published a webpage for the program, called AC Wellness Network, which includes a description of the company’s goals as well as information about a number of open positions.

“AC Wellness Network believes that having trusting, accessible relationships with our patients, enabled by technology, promotes high-quality care and a unique patient experience,” the company wrote on the webpage. “The centers offer a unique concierge-like healthcare experience for employees and their dependents. Candidates must have an appreciation for the patient experience and passion for wellness and population health — integrating best clinical practices and technology in a manner that drives patient engagement.”

AC Wellness is set to launch sometime in the spring, according to the website, and will exist as “an independent medical practice.” However, additional job listings posted in regard to the network note that the company is a subsidiary of Apple. These listings — posted in early February and including positions ranging from physicians to workflow designers — also suggest the first centers will be located in Santa Clara, California, and in the company’s new Cupertino, California campus.

CNBC reports that it has confirmed the tech company’s plans with multiple sources, and some former Stanford Health Care employees have been affiliated with AC Wellness for at least five months. These sources also said that Apple will use the centers as a testing ground for its upcoming health and wellness products prior to large-scale consumer rollout, and that the company notified third-party vendors this week about its upcoming health clinics.

Apple’s move toward employee health comes not long after an announcement that rival tech giant Amazon would be teaming up with JPMorgan Chase and Berkshire Hathaway for its own independent health care company focused on improving employee health at-cost. Whereas Apple is set to launch its endeavor with physical locations, the Amazon’s partnership appears to be more focused on developing novel health technology that can be scaled across the US.

“Hard as it might be, reducing healthcare’s burden on the economy while improving outcomes for employees and their families would be worth the effort,” Bezos said in a statement at the time. “Success is going to require talented experts, a beginner’s mind, and a long-term orientation.”